Grieving Sin

David's grief for sin was bitter. Its effects were visible on his outward frame: His bones wasted away; his strength dried up like the drought of summer. He was unable to find a remedy until he made a full confession before the throne of heavenly grace. He tells us that for a time he kept silent, and his heart was filled with grief and his lips with groaning: Like a mountain stream that is blocked, his soul was swollen with torrents of sorrow. He created excuses, he tried to divert his thoughts, but it was all to no purpose; like a festering sore his anguish gathered, and, unwilling to use the scalpel of confession, his spirit was tormented and knew no peace.

At last it came to this, that he must return to God in humble penitence or die outright; so he hurried to the mercy-seat and there unrolled the volume of his iniquities before the all-seeing God, acknowledging all the evil of his ways in the terms of the Fifty-first and other penitential Psalms. Having confessed, a task so simple and yet so hard for the proud, he immediately received the token of divine forgiveness; the bones that had been wasted were made to rejoice, and he emerged from his prayers to sing the joyful songs of the one whose transgression is forgiven.

Do you see the value of this grace-led confession of sin? It is to be prized above everything, for in every case where there is a genuine, gracious confession, mercy is freely given—not because the repentance and confession deserve mercy, but for Christ's sake. May God be praised, there is always healing for the broken heart; the fountain is ever flowing to cleanse us from our sins. Truly, O Lord, You are a God "ready to forgive."1 Therefore will we humbly acknowledge our iniquities.

Broadcast

Many people think they are saved simply because they attend church. But as the saying goes, “Just because you’re in the garage, doesn’t mean you’re a car!” On Truth For Life with Alistair Begg, we will be challenged to evaluate whether or not we’re truly following Christ.

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by
C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c)
2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth For Life with written
permission. Today’s Bible Reading material is taken from McCheyne
Bible reading plan and used by Truth For Life with permission.
Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible: English Standard
Version, copyright (c) 2001, Good News Publishers.

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Truth For Life is the teaching ministry of Alistair Begg and is committed to teaching the Bible with clarity and relevance so that unbelievers will be converted, believers will be established, and local churches will be strengthened.